George F. Bass, 'Father of Underwater Archaeology/ Remembered

摘要

The passing of Dr. George F. Bass on 2 March at the age of 88 reminds the naval community of a legacy that profoundly influenced archaeology's look at naval heritage. The last decades have seen major discoveries of lost warships with amazing insights into those ships and crews. Bass, often referred to as "the father of underwater archaeology," was at the vanguard of the emerging discipline. Serving two years in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant in Korea, he had received his MA in Near Eastern archaeology at the Johns Hopkins University. He might have remained in that archaeological branch-but the discovery of an ancient shipwreck, which turned out to be the world's oldest-known wreck at the time, would change his career and, as a result, the field of archaeology.